Reading a Book at 2 PM Doesn’t Make You Lazy—It Shows That You Have Your Sh*t Together

You started your VA business for freedom.

Freedom to work from your cozy home office.
Freedom to take a nap or walk the dog in the middle of the day.
Freedom to finally feel like your time belongs to you.

But instead, you feel guilty every time you log off early. You catch yourself glancing at the clock at 2 PM with a book in your hand, thinking, “Shouldn’t I be doing more?”

If you're nodding along, you're not alone—and you’ve likely bought into the myth that’s holding so many VAs back:

To make real money as a VA, you have to work 40+ hours a week.

Let’s be clear: that’s simply not true.

And believing it? It’s probably the very thing stopping you from reaching your income goals and living the peaceful, slow lifestyle you dreamed of when you quit your 9–5.

I work fewer hours than ever—and I make more money than I did working full-time. Not because I hustle harder, but because I’ve shifted how I work, who I work with, and how I position my services.

In this blog post, I’m breaking down:

• Why it’s so easy to fall for the “work more to earn more” myth

• How believing it actually keeps you stuck and underpaid

• What’s actually true when it comes to earning well as a VA

• What you can do instead to work less and earn more

• And how I help you make the shift inside the 4-Figure Tech VA Membership
  

You deserve to read a book at 2 PM without guilt. Let’s talk about how to make that your new normal.

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Why You’ve Believed the “Work More to Earn More” Myth

Let’s be real: society drills this idea into us from the moment we enter school.

Work hard. Work long. Prove yourself. That’s how you succeed.

We see it all around us, too. Friends burning out in full-time jobs, barely scraping by. People making great money but never having time to enjoy it. The message is always the same: More hours = more success.

When I started my business in 2017, I couldn’t shake the feeling that if I wasn’t working at least 40 hours, I wasn’t doing enough. Even when I hit my income goals, even when clients were happy and booked, I still felt guilty reading a book in the afternoon.

I kept thinking… There’s no way this is allowed. I must be doing something wrong.

You’ve probably felt the same. But the truth is, you’re not doing anything wrong—you’ve just been fed the wrong narrative.

How This Myth Keeps You Stuck and Underpaid

Believing you have to work long hours to earn enough creates a trap.

You either:

• Overbook yourself with low-paying clients just to scrape by

• Or you’re stuck without clients, telling yourself you have no right to raise your rates until you’re fully booked (which you’re not… so you stay stuck)
  

You’re caught in a loop—trading time for money, constantly “busy,” but not making the progress you want. And if you do get a break in your day? You feel like you haven’t “earned” it.

It keeps you small. Stuck. And spinning your wheels, just like I was when I was a general VA charging hourly.

The worst part? It’s exhausting—and totally unnecessary.

Here’s what’s actually true…

You Don’t Have to Work 40+ Hours to Make Good Money

You work to live, not the other way around.

And no—you don’t owe anyone 40 hours a week just to “prove” you're a good VA or a serious business owner. The reality is: working hard doesn’t have to mean working long.

What does matter is what you offer, how you price it, and how valuable your work is to the businesses you support.

When I transitioned from a general VA to a Tech & Ops VA, everything changed. I stopped scrambling for clients. I started charging more. And I built a business that allowed me to work only in the mornings—and keep my afternoons completely free.

Clients didn’t disappear. In fact, they stuck around.

Why?

Because I was helping them grow. Tech and operations support is essential for any online business. When you specialize in an in-demand service and deliver it consistently, you don’t need a dozen clients. You just need a few good ones.

And suddenly, working 20–25 hours a week is more than enough.

So, What Can You Do Differently?

Now that you know the “work more to earn more” myth is just that—a myth—it’s time to shift into a business model that actually supports your income and your well-being.

Here’s what I recommend—and what I help you do, step-by-step, inside the 4-figure Tech VA Membership:

1. Specialize in Tech & Ops

Here’s the truth: general VA work tends to be underpaid because everyone is offering it. But when you specialize in Tech and Ops support? You move from being seen as “just another VA” to being seen as an essential part of someone’s business.

Things like:

• Setting up and automating client onboarding systems

• Managing launch tech (hello, course platforms and email funnels!)

• Creating backend systems that save your clients hours of time each week

• Integrating platforms like Airtable, and more
  

This is the behind-the-scenes work that keeps online businesses running—and most business owners would rather poke their eyes out than figure it all out themselves.

That’s why they’re willing to pay a premium for someone who gets it.

Inside the membership, I show you exactly which 10 tools and platforms are most in-demand, so you can choose which ones you want to offer services around. You don’t need to learn everything—just choose the ones you like and get really good at them.

You don’t have to be techy. You just have to be willing to learn—and I support you every step of the way.

2. Raise Your Rates

Let’s be honest—most VAs start out charging the same hourly rate they made as an employee… maybe even less. And the reason? Fear. Fear of being “too expensive,” fear of rejection, fear of not being “worth it.”

But here’s the truth: when you specialize, you’re no longer charging for your time. You’re charging for your expertise. And that’s where everything changes.

Inside the membership, I help you:

• Shift out of the hourly pricing trap

• Confidently increase your rates without feeling weird about it

• Create packages that reflect the results you deliver—not just the time you spend
  

And most importantly? I help you believe you’re worth it—because you are.

3. Create Monthly Retainer Packages

Hourly work is a hamster wheel. Retainer work is a foundation.

With retainer clients, you know exactly what you’re doing each month and how much you’re getting paid for it. No more crossing your fingers that someone books a few hours here and there. No more rollercoaster income.

Just consistent, steady, reliable money—without the hustle.

In the 4-figure Tech VA Membership, I help you:

• Design retainer packages that clients are excited to sign

• Set clear expectations so both sides know exactly what’s included

• Feel confident talking about your packages on discovery calls

• And learn how to set boundaries that keep your workload manageable and your energy protected
  

This is how you go from “always working” to “I check my calendar, get my work done, and have my afternoons free.”

4. Learn How to Attract the Right Clients

Let’s talk about client-getting—without the overwhelm.

If you're introverted or just plain tired of showing up on social media 24/7, this part is going to feel like a deep breath of fresh air.

Inside the membership, I give you 7 different strategies for finding clients. Some involve social media, yes—but others don’t. You’ll get to pick the ones that actually feel good to you. No forcing yourself to dance on TikTok or post three times a day.

Plus, I show you:

• What makes a “dream client” vs. a nightmare

• How to attract clients who value your time and respect your boundaries

• How to build relationships that lead to long-term work and referrals
  

This is how I’ve been able to work with most of my clients for years—one of them since 2018! And every single one of my retainer clients after that came through referrals. No cold pitching. No sleazy tactics.

You can build a calm, steady, client-referring business that aligns with your energy.

What Happens When You Make This Shift?

You stop feeling guilty for taking afternoons off.
You work with clients who respect your boundaries and value your skills.
You make more money than you ever did at your 9–5—without burning out.

You get to live the quiet, slow life you wanted all along.

Mornings spent working on projects you enjoy.
Afternoons spent curled up with your favorite book, walking your dog, or relaxing in your backyard.
No hustle. No constant pressure. Just a business that works for your life.

When I made this shift, everything changed. Clients started referring others to me. I worked fewer hours, earned more, and finally felt like I was in control. Just this week, a client told me she couldn’t have grown her business or launched her course without me.

That’s what happens when you stop working like an employee and start owning your business.

“But Won’t Clients Think I’m Not Serious If I Don’t Work Full-Time?”

Actually? The opposite is true.

High-quality clients respect boundaries. They want someone who’s focused, reliable, and excellent at what they do. Not someone who’s constantly frazzled, overbooked, or burnt out.

Being intentional with your time and energy is a strength, not a weakness. It tells clients: I’m a pro. I know what I’m doing. And I deliver results.

You Deserve the Afternoon Off—And the Income Goals Hit

Let’s recap what we’ve covered:

• The idea that you need to work 40+ hours to make real money as a VA is just a myth—and a harmful one

• Believing it keeps you undercharging, overworking, and stuck

• The truth is, you can earn more while working less when you specialize, raise your rates, and work with fewer high-quality clients

• You can build a calm, sustainable business that gives you income and freedom
  

And I can help you make that happen inside the 4-figure Tech VA Membership

Ready to Work Less and Earn More?

Join the 4-Figure Tech VA Membership and let’s make it happen.

You’ll learn the 10 most in-demand platforms to offer services around, how to price and package those services, how to find and sign clients, and how to keep them month after month.

I’ll show you everything I’ve learned since 2017, building a calm, sustainable VA business—so you can build yours, too.

Click here to join the 4-Figure Tech VA Membership

You’ve got this. The afternoon book is waiting.